This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, May 20th, 2025.

That’s Debbie Kelley – in Brown County they call her the “pollinator lady.” Hear about local efforts to restore pollinator habitat in south central Indiana later in the show.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we have Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between WFHB and Lil Bub’s Big Fund.

But first, your local headlines:

Monroe County Stormwater Board Raises Concerns Over New State Law, Septic Maintenance Efforts Continue

The Monroe County Storm Water Management Board met on May 7th. Friends of Lake Monroe, Watershed Coordinator, Maggie Sullivan, gave an update on the Septic Program.

Board Member Trohn Enright-Randolph asked how often septic tanks should be checked. Sullivan responded.

Board Member Jody Madeira talked on the importance of educating citizens about how septic systems work.

Later during staff reports, Stormwater Program Manager Erica Penna shared that Indiana House Bill 10-37 passed. Penna shared that they are working on updating county ordinances to bring them into compliance with the bill. Penna said the bill will go into effect on July 1st.

Madeira asked if they were able to understand what compliance would look like. Penna responded.

Board Member Julie Thomas added that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has been instructed to update their stormwater rules, so the county stormwater ordinance will have to be updated again after IDEM does so.

Madeira touched on how the bill is incompatible with the county’s current standards.

Enright Randolph asked if the Indiana Department of Environmental Management would be involved in helping the county comply with the bill.

Thomas responded that she would not expect IDEM to provide any guidance. Also saying that although Indiana wants to make things easier for businesses, this legislation will deteriorate Indiana’s water quality, thus making Indiana less habitable.

Enright-Randolph commented that the denser areas will be the most affected .

Madeira also said that the new legislation would have harmful effects on Indiana residents.

The Monroe County Storm Water Management Board will meet again on June 4th.

Zoning Appeals Board Grants Variance for Property in Flood Hazard Area

At the Monroe County Board of Zoning appeals meeting on May 7th, the board discussed a building area variance request for a property with structure and gravel in a special flood hazard area. Planning Department Director Jackie Nester Jelen presented background information to the board.

Nester Jelen shared a letter from the current resident of the property.

Nester Jelen talked more about the gravel on the lot, and explained why the gravel on the property needs to be removed.

Nester Jelen said that they recommend approval of the variance due to the work that has been done to bring the property into compliance with the Stormwater Program Ordinance and the Monroe County Zoning Ordinance.

The current resident, Sam Yeary, spoke to the board and expressed that they are thankful to the staff that has been working with them to bring the property into compliance.

Board Member Skip Daley thanked Yeary for their efforts to comply with the flood zone.

The board approved the Buildable Area Variance unanimously.

The next Monroe County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting will be held on June 4th.

Feature Reports:

The WFHB listening area is seeing drastic drops in the numbers of insects that pollinate our food crops. Loss of habitat is one reason, so the local group Brown County Pollinators is trying to restore 100 acres of pollinator habitat per year. Debbie Kelley is known as the “pollinator lady,” giving away plants that provide food and shelter for south central Indiana pollinators. She’s Johnny Appleseed for our birds and our bees…and especially for her favorite pollinator: the monarch butterfly. WFHB host Pam Raider has Debbie Kelley in our Nashville Indiana studio.

Up next – Lil Bub’s Lil Show, a co-production between WFHB and Lil Bub’s Big Fund. We turn now to that segment on the WFHB Local News

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